Gareth Edwards names his five favourite movies of all time
When it comes to modern sci-fi excellence, the filmmakers that we are all too quick to turn to are the likes of Denis Villeneuve, Christopher Nolan and James Cameron, with the lesser-mentioned Gareth Edwards constantly snubbed. Helming such modern greats as Godzilla, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and The Creator, the British filmmaker is quickly becoming a formidable talent.
Rising to popularity in 2010, Edwards was championed for his independent sci-fi flick Monsters, a film which he wrote, directed and even did the visual effects for. Remarkably, Edwards completed this feat on shop-bought Adobe software in his bedroom, creating 250 visual effects shots on his own, making it something of a miracle that the finished movie is not only watchable but also a low-budget marvel.
It’s unsurprising, then, that a lot of sci-fi greats and technical wonders make his all-time favourite movies list, revealing his picks during a conversation with the Academy.
Opting for a piece of stunning visual filmmaking first and foremost, Edwards chooses the Ron Fricke film Baraka, a non-narrative film that captures contemporary human life across the globe. “Baraka is a great example of the power of cinema,” Edwards starts, “It doesn’t work just as a screenplay. It doesn’t function as a story that you can tell your friend. It only works by hitting play and sitting and watching it. It’s pure cinema in that sense. It’s like if God had made a film, it would probably be Baraka.”
Going for a classic Steven Spielberg sci-fi next, Edwards chooses the 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. “Spielberg is the absolute master,” he says of the iconic American filmmaker, before adding regarding the movie, “It’s got magic and awe and, if it was released today, I think it would almost be considered an arthouse film. It’s not a blockbuster in the same sense that blockbusters have become now. It’s a very cerebral, artistically done, timeless film. It also feels like it’s very much about being in awe of cinema.”
Taking a break from the cosmos to put his feet back on the ground and embrace the warmth of Christmas, the director’s third choice is the festive classic It’s a Wonderful Life by Frank Capra. Confessing that he watches the movie every Christmas Eve when he’s wrapping presents, Edwards adds, “I can only imagine Frank Capra’s disappointment that It’s A Wonderful Life wasn’t a hit when it was released because it’s a masterpiece. It’s a story that explores the perfect spectrum of human emotions.”
“I saw Reservoir Dogs seven times at the cinema. I think I was at the perfect age for it when it came out,” Edwards said of Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 debut, his fourth choice in his list of favourite movies. Starring the likes of Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi, the movie is considered to be one of the most important independent films of all time, with Edwards stating: “It’s one of the most perfect and efficient pieces of storytelling that I’ve ever seen.”
Bookending his magnificent list of favourites is the seminal sci-fi flick Star Wars, the movie that kicked off Hollywood’s obsession with rampant commercialism. “I think the planets aligned more for Star Wars than they have for any other movie,” Edwards stated before linking the film to his love for independent cinema: “George didn’t just inspire a whole generation of filmmakers, he also liberated them by embracing and pursuing the advancements in digital technology that allowed my generation to go off and make films with digital cameras and edit them on our computers.”
Check out the full list of Edwards’ favourites below.
Gareth Edwards’ favourite movies:
- Baraka (Ron Fricke, 1992)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977)
- It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
- Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino, 1992)
- Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977)
